Afghanistan: Agricultural Development

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What funds they are making available though the Department for International Development or otherwise to encourage the cultivation in Afghanistan of crops other than heroin poppies and to assist the profitable marketing of such alternative produce.

Baroness Amos: DfID leads the Government's efforts to develop alternative livelihoods in Afghanistan. In the financial year 2005–06, it is spending nearly £50 million for this purpose. This is an almost tenfold increase on the amount spent in 2003–04.
	A proportion of this spending is specifically targeted on improving agricultural opportunities for Afghan farmers. This includes research to help identify, test and implement new crops and technologies. Between October 2002 and September 2005 DfID has agricultural inputs such as seed, fertilisers and poppy. Innovative ways for farmers to make a living are also being pursued, including apricot drying, honey bee keeping, tailoring and weaving and the introduction of fruit tree nurseries and greenhouses for vegetable production.
	At the same time as developing agricultural opportunities, it is important to develop non-farm alternative livelihoods if we are to ensure longer term sustainability. DfID activities in Badakshan and the Eastern Hazarajat provinces are developing sustainable economic alternatives and social incentives to enable farmers to stop growing poppy.

Afghanistan: Counter-narcotics

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following consultation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, what is the agreed course of action for United Kingdom forces in Afghanistan tasked with countering the cultivation and marketing of narcotics.

Lord Triesman: UK military personnel, mainly from the Army, serve with the UN-authorised International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), where they either help to maintain security in Kabul or work to extend the authority of the Afghan Government in northern Afghanistan. Other personnel serve with the US-led coalition. All contribute to ensuring that the remnants of the Taliban cannot threaten the establishment of a stable, peaceful and democratic Afghanistan.
	ISAF support for counter-narcotics (CN) activity on the ground in Afghanistan is set out within the CN annex to the NATO operations plan and includes the sharing of information, support for the counter-narcotics information campaign through a variety of methods, such as poster and leaflet distribution and radio broadcasts, and the provision of enabling logistical support to Afghan and international CN agencies. It precludes proactive eradication and interdiction activity.

Afghanistan: Counter-narcotics

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What approaches they have made to the governments of other European Union member states to contribute to common funding to encourage the cultivation in Afghanistan of crops other than heroin poppies and to assist the profitable marketing of such alternative produce.

Lord Triesman: The international community is providing assistance across all strands of the government of Afghanistan's 2005 counter-narcotics (CN) implementation plan. Using its G8 lead nation status for CN in Afghanistan, the UK has been pressing for increased financial and other support from international partners, particularly in G8 and EU fora. We have negotiated strong wording on support for Afghan counter-narcotics in the EU Drugs Action Plan. Under the UK presidency, we have been working with member states to produce a matrix of increased EU assistance that will also act as a lobbying tool to lever assistance from other countries. At our invitation, Afghan CN Minister Qaderi took part in the EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Informal on 9 September, as well as the first EU-Afghanistan drugs troika on 6 September. He delivered strong messages on the need for increased EU and other international support, including making contributions to the government of Afghanistan's CN trust fund. We are encouraging member states, as well as other countries, to channel funding through the CN trust fund, and to provide training and expert assistance, including mentors for the CN Criminal Justice Task Force and Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA). Recently, Poland has offered to provide CNPA with trainers for an 18-month period and the European Commission has committed €15 million to the CN trust fund.

Agriculture: Financial Support

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish a comparison with the similar prevailing statistics on a like-for-like basis the totals of current farm spending support paid to farmers directly in Britain and the European Union in the United States, Canada and Japan.

Lord Bach: The most internationally comparable statistics on agricultural support are complied and published by the OECD. The OECD's Producer Support Estimate (PSE) reflects the gross transfers received by agricultural producers. It includes support which is provided in the form of direct payments as well as support provided through higher domestic market prices.
	The following table sets out their latest estimates for the EU, the US, Canada and, Japan.
	
		Producer Support Estimate: € m and percentage of the value of production
		
			  EU United States Canada Japan 
			 PSE 107,686 37,386 4,595 39,296 
			 % PSE 33 18 21 56 
		
	
	Source: OECD (2005) Agricultural Policies in OECD Countries: Monitoring and Evaluation. (Converted to euros at the annual 2004 exchange rate.)

Asylum Seekers

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 20 July (WA 241), whether they will ensure that the Home Office is in a position to provide information to the public about the number of asylum seekers who have been and are being detained; if so, by when this will be provided; and, if not, what is the justification for not being able to provide such information.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Home Office is currently looking at the viability of producing additional information pertaining to the number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers. If this work allows information to be produced that can be considered of good enough quality to be considered as national statistics, then we will consider publishing this information.

Big Lottery Fund

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much funding the big lottery fund has allocated to projects in education, health, environment and voluntary sectors since its launch on 1 June 2004.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Big Lottery Fund has committed £843,224,411 and spent £996,429,726 for projects in education, health, environment and voluntary sectors from 1 June 2004 to 30 September 2005. The table shows breakdown by programmes.
	
		
			 Initiatives Commitments (£) Spend (£) 
			 Community Fund *   
			 Voluntary and Communitysector programmes 247,140,596 301,218,041 
			 Awards for All 16,966,829 17,829,419 
			 New Opportunities Fund   
			 Healthy Living Centres 1,562,073 75,612,830 
			 Out of School Learning andChildcare including childcare 26,005,097 117,180,845 
			 School sports co-ordinators 19,219,404 11,291,933 
			 ITC 262,099 3,872,437 
			 Cancer prevention detectiontreatment and care 31,293 13,860,711 
			 Green spaces and sustainablecommunities 4,161,833 32,992,094 
			 Community Access to lifelonglearning 2,556,453 34,561,232 
			 PE Sport in Schools 325,696,880 165,374,372 
			 Activities for young people 24,648,281 27,434,306 
			 Reducing the burden ofcoronary heart disease, strokeand cancer 3,912,551 62,426,598 
			 Palliative Care 1,106,405 27,794,941 
			 Transforming communities 9,951,967 34,191,937 
			 Awards for All 24,258,089 23,665,005 
			 Fair Share 35,000 35,000 
			 Big Lottery Fund   
			 Community Sports 58,799,480 5,797,066 
			 Veterans 37,030,229 31,991,557 
			 Do it for Real 11,460,124 4,632,866 
			 Young Peoples Fund 14,279,394 2,436,066 
			 Extended schools 14,140,334 2,230,470 
			 Total 843,224,411 996,429,726 
		
	
	* The Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund underwent an administrative merger in June 2004 to form the Big Lottery Fund.

Blood Transfusions

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When a replacement can be expected for the Chief Medical Officer's letter Better Blood Transfusion—Appropriate use of Blood; which was due for review in July 2005; and
	How many patients have been denied blood transfusions each year for the past four years for non-elective surgery resulting from a shortage of blood; and what initiatives there are to encourage the National Health Service to seek alternatives to blood transfusion when treating patients.

Lord Warner: The NHS Blood and Transplant Authority is responsible for managing blood supplies in England and North Wales. Over the past four years, there have been no shortages of blood, and the supply of blood has been sufficient to meet demand.
	The Department of Health published Health Service Circular (HSC) 2002/009 Better Blood Transfusion—Appropriate Use of Blood on 4 July 2002. This circular promoted and encouraged the appropriate use of blood and alternatives to transfusion including cell salvage during surgery.
	We are currently reviewing the HSC 2002/09. We have developed a Better Blood Transfusion toolkit, with the blood service, in order to support NHS trusts in this area. The toolkit is available on www.transfusionguidelines.org.

Blood Transfusions

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What impact the National Blood Transfusion Committee (NBTC) Toolkit is expected to have on (a) the use of blood transfusions for non-life-saving use; and (b) the use of non-blood products for non-life-saving use; and what measures are being taken to encourage National Health Service Trusts to adopt the NBTC Toolkit.

Lord Warner: The impact of the Health Service Circular (HSC) 2002/009 Better Blood Transfusion—Appropriate Use of Blood has contributed to the falling use of blood (red cells) in the past four years. This has reduced by 5.9 per cent in 2004 and is still falling at a rate of a further 5 per cent for the first six months of this year.
	Some hospitals have reduced their usage more than others. The NHS Blood and Transplant Authority and the Department of Health are working closely with hospitals to share best practice. The Better Blood Transfusion toolkit has been developed as an aid to help hospitals achieve as much as the more successful hospitals.

British Consulate, Istanbul

Lord Strathclyde: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they propose to begin work on the restoration of the church and churchyard of St Helena's at the British Consulate in Istanbul after its destruction by al-Qaeda bombing; and what has been the reason for the delay.

Lord Triesman: I refer the noble Lord to the reply by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary to the honourable Member for Derby North (Bob Laxton) on 11 July 2005 (Official Report, col. 665W).
	My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has now asked officials to discuss the repair of the chapel with the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe and the Church Council at Istanbul. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will meet reasonable repair costs.

British Fluoridation Society

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What financial contributions they have made or will make to the British Fluoridation Society for the years 2004–05 and 2005–06; and whether they intend to continue to make contributions.

Lord Warner: The British Fluoridation Society promotes the benefits of the fluoridation of water in reducing tooth decay. We allocated £87,000 to the society in 2004–05 and £90,000 for 2005–06. We will be taking decisions on the future use of central funds on oral health promotion early in 2006.

Child Support Agency

Lord Steinberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are contemplating changes to the Child Support Agency.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The agency's chief executive, Stephen Geraghty, is currently conducting a review of the Child Support Agency. We will consider his report and announce our conclusions by the end of the year.

China: North Korean Refugees

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make representations to the government of China concerning their action in deporting to North Korea seven North Koreans who entered a Korean International School at Yantai, China.

Lord Triesman: We and our EU partners have raised our concerns with the Chinese Government about the treatment of northern Korean border crossers in China on numerous occasions. We did so most recently during the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, held in London on 6 June 2005. We will continue to raise our concerns on this topic with the Chinese authorities at every appropriate opportunity.

Civil Servants and Special Advisers: Memoirs

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the same restrictions are imposed on Ministers of the Crown as on civil servants and special advisers as regards the publication of memoirs and the profits derived from such publication; and, if not, what is the justification for the difference of treatment.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The rules on the publication of memoirs for Ministers and civil servants, including special advisers, are set out in the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Management Code, the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and the Directory of Civil Service Guidance. Former Ministers and civil servants, including special advisers, are required to submit draft manuscripts to the Cabinet Secretary for comment. The issue of profits derived from such publications is currently under consideration.

Climate Change

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What has been the outcome of recent meetings with United States government representatives on mutual action to counter the adverse effects of global warming; and what further near-term initiatives they are planning.

Lord Bach: The United States Government were represented at the G8 Gleneagles Summit, where climate change was one of two priority topics discussed. The G8 leaders reached agreement on a package of action to combat climate change: the Gleneagles plan of action on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development.
	Agreement was also reached on a new dialogue on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development between G8 countries and other interested countries with significant energy needs. The first meeting of the dialogue will be held on 1 November 2005 in London and the US will be represented there.

Common Agricultural Policy

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they expect in plans to reduce Common Agricultural Policy subsidies further in time for announcements at the 22-24 November meeting of the European Union Council of Agriculture Ministers.

Lord Bach: We have made reform of the Common Agricultural Policy sugar regime a top priority during our EU presidency; we have been negotiating intensively with member states and hope we can reach a deal at the November agriculture council.
	In addition, we have called for a fundamental review of the whole EU budget, including the CAP, to report during the next EU financial, perspective (2007–13). We have held detailed discussions with every member state about the budget and remain committed to working for a deal in December.
	As part of that process, we have called for a proper debate about the budget and stressed that we must begin making the necessary changes, including to CAP expenditure, before the next budget period begins in 2014. We have also been clear that any change to the CAP must take account of the legitimate business planning needs of farmers and happen over time.

Consulate General: Hamburg

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have received from interests in Germany and the United Kingdom regarding their proposals to close the British Consulate in Hamburg; and what alternative arrangements are proposed for consular and trade activities if this closure takes place.

Lord Triesman: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary received and considered representations from the Mayor of Hamburg as well as letters from interested organisations and individuals about the proposed closure of Her Majesty's Consulate-General in Hamburg. This proposal was part of wider changes to our overseas network of diplomatic missions as a response to changing priorities announced by my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary in another place on 15 December 2004 (Official Report, Commons, cols. WS 137-40). The decision since taken to close the Consulate-General in Hamburg by the end of 2006, announced by my right honourable friend in another place on October 11 (Official Report, Commons, cols. WS 22-23) was not an easy one: British links with Hamburg are old and strong.
	As my noble friend is no doubt aware, our links with Hamburg are many and varied. They will continue under our alternative arrangements for representation in Germany. As part of this, we hope to appoint the deputy ambassador in Berlin as non-resident Consul-General to Hamburg to ensure that those links continue to flourish. And there will of course be honorary consuls in Hamburg and elsewhere in the Consulate-General's district to help. Consular responsibilities for this district will be covered from our embassy in Berlin.
	Services for British exporters to Germany and for German investors in the UK are provided in Germany by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). The closure of Hamburg is part of a significant restructuring of the UKTI team in Germany. UKTI staff will be based in Dusseldorf, Munich and Berlin. All staff have Germany-wide responsibilities. Coverage of Hamburg will remain in line with customer demand.

Counter-terrorism

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What advice they have sought from Israeli anti-terrorist personnel in the past four years to help in handling security problems in the United Kingdom.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Over the past four years the police have worked with a number of countries, including Israel, to improve our counter-terrorist response capabilities.

Croatia: EU Membership

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In view of the recent announcement that the European Union has opened membership talks with Croatia, whether they are confident that Croatia has fully met the necessary conditions for membership of the European Union.

Lord Triesman: The December 2004 European Council agreed to open accession negotiations with Croatia provided there was full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY). On 3 October, the ICTY Chief Prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, gave her assessment that Croatia was co-operating fully with ICTY. The EU agreed that the condition had therefore been met and opened negotiations that day. The EU has made clear that full co-operation with ICTY will remain a requirement throughout the accession process. It has also stated that less than full co-operation will affect the overall progress of negotiations and could be grounds for triggering the suspension of negotiations.

Croatia: Visa Regime

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why they have not abolished the visa regime in relation to the Republic of Croatia.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: All visa regimes are kept under review and introduced, or lifted, on the basis of immigration need. When considering removing an existing visa requirement we must ensure that any favourable changes to the immigration threat from the nationality concerned is sustainable. I can confirm that the visa regime on Croatian nationals is the subject of ongoing review.

Defence Budgets

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they collect and collate on a like-for-like basis information about the defence budgets and expenditure of the several members states of the European Union and NATO.

Lord Drayson: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 14 July 2005 (Official Report, col. WA 167).

EU Expenditure Programmes: Fraud and Corruption

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they have taken, and propose to take, to counter fraud and corruption in European Union expenditure programmes during the United Kingdom presidency.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The United Kingdom presidency has initiated discussions on an integrated control framework which would improve financial control of the budget by the Commission and member states, and so reduce the opportunities for fraud and corruption. We hope to agree conclusions at ECOFIN in November.

EU Force Mission: Bosnia and Herzegovina

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will set out the achievements of the initial phases of the activities of the European Union force mission in Bosnia.

Lord Triesman: Since its arrival in December 2004, the European Union force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) has, under the leadership of Major General David Leakey, successfully carried out its primary mission of providing deterrence, reassurance and a safe and secure environment for the Bosnian and international authorities to carry out their work. In addition to this primary mission, EUFOR has also vigorously pursued its key supporting tasks, including providing assistance to the fight against organised crime, supporting the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (OHR) mission implementation plan and supporting the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Key activity has included intelligence-based weapons collection operations and a number of significant operations targeting organised crime. In a typical three-month period, EUFOR collect some 500 small arms, 200,000 rounds of ammunition, 2,500 hand grenades and over 250 kilograms of explosives. As a direct result of EUFOR's operations against fuel smugglers and illegal loggers, well over 100 cases have been brought to trial, and tax revenues on fuel have increased significantly. EUFOR has and will continue to work closely with NATO, the special representative, the EU police mission and others to provide an environment in which reform and reconstruction can take place.

EU: Directive on Services in the Internal Market

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they expect the Bolkestein directive on European Union services legislation to be agreed in the near future when the European Parliament's opinion is delivered.

Lord Triesman: As the noble Lord may be aware, the European Parliament has recently announced that its first reading of the Directive on Services in the Internal Market—to give the directive its proper name—will not be completed until January 2006. Since this is a co-decision dossier, this will lead to a delay in agreeing the directive. We are strong supporters of the directive and want to resolve outstanding issues, as my right honourable friend the Prime Minister made clear in June. We are continuing discussions in the Council in order to maximise progress under our presidency.

EU: Northern Dimension

Lord Bowness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Triesman on 8 June (WA 68), whether a date has been fixed for the first ministerial meeting under the second action plan of the Northern Dimension.

Lord Triesman: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary has agreed to host a Northern Dimension ministerial meeting on 21 November.

European Union Constitutional Treaty

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish a concise version of the European Union Constitutional Treaty to enhance public understanding in the member states.

Lord Triesman: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has no plans to publish a concise version of the European Union Constitutional Treaty. The FCO has already published a guide to the European Union which contains basic information about the treaty. The guide, the full text of the treaty and the FCO's commentary upon it are available at www.europe.gov.uk.

Food Standards Agency

Earl Howe: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will accept advice to Ministers agreed by the board of the Food Standards Agency on 15 September on the setting of the maximum permitted levels for vitamin and mineral supplements under the provisions of the Food Supplements Directive; and whether they have a strategy for achieving their objectives in relation to this legislation.

Lord Warner: The chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has written to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health setting out the FSA's advice. Ministers will consider this advice, and a strategy will be developed following any decisions.

G8: UK Presidency

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Triesman on 13 June (WA 101-02), whether they are now in a position to publish a full breakdown of the costs of staging the G8 summit meeting at the Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, in July, including those for security.

Lord Triesman: Final invoices relating to the organisational cost of the G8 Summit at Gleneagles Hotel are nearly all received. However, a small number of high-value invoices relating to a significant part of the total estimated cost of £12.1 million for the organisational cost have yet to be finalised by our suppliers and contractors. When these final invoices are received, a breakdown of the organisational cost will be published.
	Security for the Gleneagles Summit was the responsibility of the devolved administration and Scottish Ministers have committed to publishing a breakdown of the total cost before the end of the year.

Government Departments: Efficiency Targets

Lord Barnett: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much of the efficiency target for all departments, delivering over £20 billion of efficiency gains, as set out in the Pre-Budget Report of December 2004, has been met to date.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Efficiency targets were set out for each department in the Spending Review 2004 White Paper. In Budget 2005 the Chancellor announced:
	departments have delivered the first £2 billion of Gershon efficiency gains, in addition to £2 billion of separate savings in procurement announced in December 2004;
	departments have delivered the first 12,500 reduction in civil service posts;
	more than 4,300 posts have already been moved out of London and South East;
	and, following the Lyons report on public sector assets £14 billion of asset disposals have been identified, £4 billion to be sold this year.
	Departments will report on further progress in their autumn performance reports.

Gulf War 1990–91: Church Representations

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations the Prime Minister has received from the Lord Bishop of Norwich, the Roman Catholic Bishop of East Anglia and other Church leaders concerning the victims and families affected by the still medically unexplained illnesses among British veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf War.

Lord Drayson: The Lord Bishop of Norwich and a number of other Church leaders wrote to the Prime Minister on 27 September about the report of the Lord Lloyd of Berwick's unofficial investigation into issues relating to 1990–91 Gulf veterans' illnesses. In particular, they sought Government recognition of the illnesses arising from service during the Gulf conflict. The Government recognise such illnesses through the payment of pensions that take account of the level of disablement.

Helicopters

Lord Garden: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to increase the availability and number of military support helicopters over the next five years.

Lord Drayson: We expect the number of support helicopters to remain broadly constant over the next five years. Work is, however, under way to improve the way support helicopters are maintained, particularly Chinook, Merlin and Sea King, with the aim of increasing their availability. For the longer term, the future size and shape of our support helicopter fleet is currently being studied in the Future Rotorcraft Capability programme. A strategy for this has recently been agreed which sets out the broad principles and the level of investment (some £4 billion over the next 10 years).

Holocaust Memorial Day

Lord Steinberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the report contained in the Sunday Times on 11 September regarding a possible change in the format of Holocaust Memorial Day is correct; and what plans they have in this area.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There is no truth in reports that the Government have been advised to change the name or nature of Holocaust Memorial Day and I welcome this opportunity to give an assurance that we have no plans to do so. I am aware that there are certain groups which are pressing for Holocaust Memorial Day to be replaced or supplemented by a generic genocide memorial day. However, the Government believe that such a change is neither necessary nor appropriate. The Government introduced Holocaust Memorial Day as an annual national commemoration, taking place each year on 27 January, for the victims of the Nazis' genocide of the Jewish people, and for the other victims of Nazi genocidal and racial policies. The Government have always adopted a broad and inclusive approach towards the content and community outreach of the annual commemoration. Since its inception the commemoration has highlighted more recent tragedies, including those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo, in some cases with the participation of survivors from those events.

Housing: Energy Efficiency

Lord Whitty: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their policy on incorporating higher energy efficiency standards in (a) the new build and refurbishment of social housing; and (b) private housing developments and refurbishment; and how that policy is to be implemented.

Baroness Andrews: The Government are committed to introducing higher energy efficiency standards in the building stock. From April, we have raised the energy efficiency standards for new and replacement domestic central heating boilers to the level achieved by condensing boiler types. We have recently announced revisions to Part L of the building regulations which introduce new measures to make buildings more energy efficient. The cumulative impact of these revisions, and earlier revisions in 2002, will be a 40 per cent improvement in the energy efficiency of new homes built from 2006.
	As to new-build social housing, the Housing Corporation announced in June that, as part of its progress towards compliance with the proposed code for sustainable buildings, the estimated 70,000 homes due to be built under its 2006–08 national affordable housing programme would be expected to achieve the eco-homes "very good" standard.
	Since 2001, the decent homes programme has improved the energy efficiency of almost half a million existing dwellings. Between 2001 and 2003, the number of social sector homes failing the decent homes standard on the thermal comfort criterion fell by one-fifth. Significant improvements have also been made to improve living conditions for vulnerable households in the private sector.

Israel and Palestine

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What recent representations they have made to the government of Israel about the continued detention without trial of some 7,000 Palestinian citizens.

Lord Triesman: We welcome the release by Israel of almost 900 Palestinian prisoners since the Sharm Al Sheikh summit in February. Following the successful conclusion of disengagement from Gaza and part of the West Bank, we have urged Israel and the Palestinian Authority to focus on making progress on their road map and Sharm Al Sheikh commitments, including on release of prisoners.
	We have discussed conditions in Israeli prisons with the Israel Prison Service and the political aspects of prisoner releases with the government of Israel. In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross monitors conditions in Israeli prisons on a regular basis. The majority of Palestinian prisoners have been convicted in Israeli courts, but a significant number are held under administrative detention, sometimes for extended periods. We continue to monitor this situation closely.

Millennium Dome

Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much lottery money was put into the Millennium Dome project.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Millennium Commission grant to the New Millennium Experience Company for the Millennium Experience at Greenwich stands at £603 million. It is expected that this will reduce shortly to £602 million as the company moves towards dissolution. It is also expected that, over time, there will be a return to the Lottery of some £70 million, which represents a 13 per cent share of the proceeds of the development of the Greenwich peninsula.

Millennium Dome

Lord Luke: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much taxpayers' money has been put into the Millennium Dome project to date; and
	How much the Millennium Dome has cost the taxpayer to date since it was closed to the general public.

Baroness Andrews: From July 2001, when English Partnerships, the national regeneration agency, took ownership of the Dome, to the end of September 2005, the total cost to English Partnerships of the Dome was £31.55 million, or £30.15 million net after deducting income of £1.4 million from interim events. These totals include £9.76 million gross, or £8.36 million net after deduction of income of £1.4 million from interim events, for management, maintenance and security of the Dome, including English Partnerships' staff costs, and a one-off payment of £588,000 for insurance. In addition, English Partnerships spent £6.7 million on decommissioning some of the Dome contents, and £14.5 million on the sale process from March 1999 to June 2004 when the commercial deal between English Partnerships and Meridian Delta Ltd and Anschutz Entertainment Group went unconditional.
	Of the above totals, some £1 million was incurred on the first sale process up until the Dome closed to the public on 31 December 2000. All other costs have been incurred after closure of the Dome to the public, in preparation for its future use.
	The current average monthly cost of the dome to English Partnerships is around £35,000, which is unlikely to change significantly. As indicated before, English Partnerships will hand over full responsibility for the Dome to Anschutz Entertainment Group in June 2007, when the arena inside the Dome is expected to be completed.

Ministers: Constituency Matters

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether Ministers and Government Whips have preferential access to the Prime Minister and other Ministers concerning enquiries made on behalf of their constituents, or preferential treatment of their constituency correspondence by Ministers.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The rules on the handling of constituency matters by Ministers are set out in Section 4 of the Ministerial Code.

Ministry of Defence Property

Lord Whitty: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What conditions apply in disposals to developers of public assets such as Ministry of Defence property in relation to provision of affordable housing, in particular rented accommodation from local authorities or registered social landlords.

Baroness Andrews: The guidance to departments and public bodies on the disposal of public sector assets is set out in Chapter 24 of Government Accounting as supplemented by Dear Accounting Officer letter DAO(GEN)07/05 issued in June 2005. Government accounting guidance may be found on the Internet at www.government-accounting.gov.uk and Dear Accounting Officer letters at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public–spending–and–services/audit–and–accounting.
	The requirement for affordable housing on a particular site will need to be negotiated and agreed with local planning authorities taking account of local needs, the local development plan and other relevant guidance. Policy on the application of planning obligations makes no distinction between public and private sector developers.

NHS: Consultant Physicians

Lord Turnberg: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to redress the loss from the National Health Service of consultant physicians because of premature retirement.

Lord Warner: The Department of Health's information shows an increase of nearly 10,000 (45 per cent) consultants within the Royal College of Physicians specialties between 1997 and 2005. Following the 2003 consultant contract there is no age restriction to practice. As part of the department's "improving working lives" initiative, National Health Service employers are required to offer guidance and support to all staff about flexible retirement options, and to encourage flexible working opportunities to staff approaching retirement or wanting to return to work part-time after retirement.

North Caucasus

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the stability of the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation and the implications for the spread of international terrorism.

Lord Triesman: The Government are concerned by instability in the North Caucasus. A number of factors have contributed to this instability, including popular discontent with poor socio-economic conditions, corruption, ethnic and clan-based tensions and ongoing security problems related to the recent history of conflict in the region, as last week's attack in Nalchik illustrated. But local extremists, some of whom have adopted the ideology and tactics of international terrorism, have, exploited the situation in the region. And international terrorists have taken advantage of the instability for propaganda purposes. We welcome President Putin's acknowledgement of the need to address broader problems, including the need to respect human rights, as the best means to bring stability to the region.
	Along with our EU partners, we are working with the Russian Government to address some of the socio-economic issues that contribute to instability. At the EU-Russia Summit on 4 October in London we announced, with President Putin's backing, the agreement of a €20 million European Commission assistance programme for socio-economic development in the North Caucasus, focusing particularly on health, education and income generation projects.

Police Intelligence

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the budget allocated by the Home Office for the development of a national police intelligence system; and what proportion of this budget has been expended to date.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The budget for the IMPACT programme in 2005–06 is £52 million. In the current year £17 million has been allocated to police forces and an additional £5 million has been spent as at the end of August 2005. Budgets for future years have yet to be finalised. Some £7.3 million was spent in 2004–05.

Police Intelligence: Bichard Report

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their plans to meet the recommendation in Sir Michael Bichard's report of his inquiry into the Soham murders to develop a national police intelligence system; and when they expect those plans to be implemented in full.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The IMPACT programme has been established to meet the Bichard recommendations for a national IT system to support police intelligence; to develop the PLX (police local cross-check) system; and to secure the future of the police national computer. Full implementation will take a period of three to five years but immediate improvements are being made by the introduction of the IMPACT nominal index (INI) and Interim-PLX, both of which will allow police forces and the Criminal Records Bureau to determine where information is held by other forces. A fuller report on progress in implementing the Bichard recommendations will be placed before Parliament shortly.

Police Shootings

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will continue to support the mandatory reference of all police shootings to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government continue to support the mandatory referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission of all deaths and serious injuries resulting from conduct of a person serving with the police, including shootings.

Prisons: Chaplaincies

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What area is provided for chaplaincies in the men's and women's sides of HM Prison Peterborough and in HM Prison Bronzefield respectively.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Chaplaincy provision at HMP Peterborough, a male and female prison, is mirrored on the male and female sides of the prison with purpose-built chapels and "faith rooms"; there are also double rooms available for teaching or group work.
	HMP Bronzefield, a female-only prison, has a purpose built prayer room, multi-faith room and chaplaincy meeting room.

Royal Air Force: 32 Squadron

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have for up-dating the aircraft operated by 32 Squadron RAF; and how the capital costs (including consequential carrying charges and depreciation) of any new aircraft will be apportioned between the Ministry of Defence and the users of these aircraft.

Lord Drayson: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 21 July 2005 (Official Report, col. WA 320).

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

Baroness Hayman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have received the advice they requested from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition on the merits of fortification of flour with folic acid.

Lord Warner: The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) was asked by the Government to consider the evidence that has arisen since the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy report Folic Acid and the Prevention of Disease 2000 and to advice on any gaps in the evidence base, with particular reference to the issue of folic acid masking vitamin B12 deficiency.
	The Government understand that SACN will shortly publish its draft report for external consultation with stakeholders. Both the Department of Health, the Food Standards Agency and devolved health departments will be considering SACN's recommendations carefully.

South Asia Earthquake

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assistance they are providing to the governments of Pakistan and India in rescuing people trapped under buildings following the earthquake of 8 October.

Baroness Amos: Following news of the south Asia earthquake, DfID immediately mobilised its emergency response system. In response to a specific request from the government of Pakistan, search and rescue teams were sent to the non-affected areas. The first, a 12-person team, provided by the non-governmental organisation RAPID and accompanied by a humanitarian adviser from DfID departed the UK in the early evening of Saturday 8 October. This team was the first international team to arrive in Pakistan.
	In addition, an aircraft carrying a further 75 search and rescue personnel from the UK Fire Service, the International Rescue corps, dog rescue teams from BIRD and CANIS, together with a further team from RAPID, left the UK at 2 am on Sunday 9 October.
	These personnel worked tirelessly to save the lives of those trapped under the rubble of the buildings and rescued a total of 14 people.
	The UK search and rescue teams are now making a phased withdrawal from Pakistan and personnel begin arriving back on Friday.
	Our priorities now are assisting the government of Pakistan with the provision of shelter, bedding, food, water, sanitation and medical supplies for those who have been affected by the earthquake. DfID has pledged a total of £13 million to the relief effort.

Sudan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress is being made to (a) extend the arms embargo to the whole of Sudan; (b) prevent the use of armoured personnel carriers in Sudan; and (c) bring the perpetrators of the violence in Sudan before the International Criminal Court.

Lord Triesman: The Government are committed to pressing for an improvement in the situation in Sudan and will be seeking discussion in the UN Security Council on a range of further measures. The UK already implements an embargo against the whole of Sudan in line with the EU arms embargo against the country.
	Under the terms of the UN arms embargo on Darfur, provision of military equipment, such as armoured personnel carriers (APC), to any of the parties in Darfur is prohibited without obtaining the prior permission of the UN sanctions committee. However, as part of the effort to resource the African Union (AU) force effectively, Canada has donated 105 APCs to the UN which are awaiting delivery. With the EU, we are insisting that the government of Sudan expedite their delivery. These will allow the AU force to better carry out their mission in the light of recent attacks upon them.
	The International Criminal Court began a formal investigation into the events in Darfur on 6 June. The Court will carry out its investigations into Darfur, as with all other investigations, in an entirely independent capacity. The timing of the indictments, like the names and numbers of those to be investigated or prosecuted, is solely within the prosecutor's discretion. The chief prosecutor is due to update the Security Council on the status of the investigation in December.

Sudan: African Union

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made in deploying the 6,171 military personnel and 1,560 civilian personnel authorised for the mission in Sudan on 28 April by the African Union's Peace and Security Council; whether the union has sufficient funds to sustain this commitment; whether the union is expected to meet its 12,300 person deployment by spring 2006; and what support is being provided by the United Nations mission in Sudan to the African Union.

Lord Triesman: The African Union (AU) have deployed a total of 5,581 military and civilian personnel, and 908 civilian police, as part of the AU mission in Sudan's (AMIS) current expansion to over 7,700 personnel. The AU has requested further funding assistance from donors, including a further €70 million from the EU's African Peace Facility. The AU is planning a joint assessment mission to consider whether a further increase is needed.
	The United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) liaises closely with AMIS, through the AU Commission chairperson's special representative in Sudan, through meetings with the AU in Addis Ababa and through its constant presence and increasing joint activities on the ground in Darfur such as training in policing and operational planning. UNMIS has a liaison staff permanently deployed to the AMIS headquarters in El Fasher to ensure this support is closely co-ordinated. Additionally, the UN assistance cell to the AU, based in Addis Ababa, helps support the African Union in planning and providing technical advice for AMIS and works closely with other partners to facilitate the AU Commission's efforts to secure required resources and other support needs for AMIS.

Terrorism Act 2000: Labour Party Conference

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many persons were stopped and searched under the provisions of the Terrorism Act 2000 in Brighton and Hove during the period of the Labour Party conference in September; of these how many were (a) of Asian or other ethnic minority origin; (b) held for questioning or arrested for terrorism offences; and (c) held for questioning or arrested for other offences.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Numbers of stops and searches under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 are not collected centrally below police force area level. Statistics on stop and search are available in two annual publications that can be accessed on the research, development and statistics area of the Home Office website. The Home Office statistical bulletin, Arrests for Notifiable Offences and the Operation of Certain Police Powers under PACE: England and Wales, details stops and searches under the Terrorism Act 2000, broken down by police force over financial years. The bulletin also shows subsequent arrests. The most recently available figures can be found on the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubsl.html. The document Publications under Section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act; Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System details stop-searches under the Terrorism Act 2000 by ethnicity. Figures are collated by police force over financial years and they also show subsequent arrests under the Terrorism Act and other legislation. The most recently available figures can be found on the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/s95race04.pdf.

Trade Deficit

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will consult with experts in France and Germany to find ways of reducing United Kingdom visible deficits by building up goods and services as well as increased exports.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government have no plans to consult with France and Germany on ways of reducing the UK's trade deficit. But we are continually examining ways of improving the UK's competitiveness.

Youth Hostel Association: Lottery Funding

Lord Fearn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much lottery funding was allocated to the Youth Hostel Association in the years 2003, 2004 and to date in 2005.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Youth Hostel Association received the following amounts from the Lottery distributing bodies, by calendar year.
	
		
			 Year Amount 
			 2003 £1,722,165 
			 2004 £11,540,104 
			 2005 to date £6,600 
		
	
	These tables are derived from the department's Lottery award database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.